Etalkinghead

New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress could go to prison for a minimum of three and a half years as a result of accidentally shooting himself in the leg at a New York City nightclub. I know New York City has some of the toughest gun laws in the country, but this is ridiculous. In fact, it’s completely outrageous.

For one thing, Burress hurt only himself, not anyone else. The pain of being shot should be punishment enough. But, no, he had to turn himself in to the police, be put in handcuffs, be booked for “criminal possession of a weapon,” and post $100,000 bail. Now he faces a trial and mandatory prison time if convicted of the charges against him. Many street thugs don’t get treated this harshly. And to top it off, we have ultra-liberal New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg making the asinine declaration that the city should “prosecute [Burress] to the fullest extent of the law.”

The charge makes it sound as if it is illegal to possess a weapon in New York. So much for Mr. Burress’ Second Amendment rights, huh? That’s not really the case, but it’s pretty close. Actually, Burress is in trouble because he was a carrying a gun without a permit. That’s right, not having a stupid piece of paper could result in his being sent up the river for years. How much sense does that make? And how many people have gone to prison for simply operating another kind of dangerous weapon — an automobile — without a permit?

Funny thing, too, I can’t think of another right enumerated by our Bill of Rights that requires a permit before it can be exercised. When’s the last time you heard of someone being charged with “practicing religion without a permit,” for example? Keep in mind that Burress has never been convicted of a felony or done anything else that would legally justify restricting his access to weapons.

This whole fiasco sounds to me like nothing more than political correctness run amuck and zero-tolerance gun control laws taken to their most extreme. Congratulations, James and Sarah Brady and those of your ilk, your hysterical crusade is about to ruin another life!